Illustrated Ecrins scene — AI-generated artwork behind this national park's word search puzzle
Ecrins, as a word search. 12 words drawn from its landforms, its wildlife, and the habitats inside it sit hidden in a 15×15 letter grid, running in every direction. Drag across a word to claim it, and clear the board to finish.
Words to find: GLACIER, IBEX, CHAMOIS, MARMOT, PTARMIGAN, LAMMERGEIER, GENTIAN, EDELWEISS, RHODODENDRON, ARNICA, SAXIFRAGE, PRIMULA.
Words run in any of eight directions, backwards included — if one refuses to turn up, try reading the grid right to left.
Ecrins word list, defined
GLACIER/ˈɡleɪsiər/ · noun
A large, slowly moving river of ice formed from compacted snow on land, typically in high latitudes or at high elevations. A glacier can be several kilometers wide and hundreds of meters thick. Related: ice sheet, ice field, frost, ice cap.
IBEX/ˈaɪbɛks/ · noun
A wild goat of the genus Capra, typically with curved horns and a distinctive beard. Ibex are found in mountainous regions of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Related: goat, antelope, sheep, ram.
CHAMOIS/tʃəˈmiː/ · noun
A type of goat-antelope native to the European Alps, known for its thick, woolly coat. A soft, thick, and usually white cloth made from the skin of this animal, used for cleaning and polishing. Related: goat-antelope, alpine goat, woolly goat, soft cloth.
MARMOT/mɑrmɒt/ · noun
A large ground-dwelling squirrel-like rodent that lives in mountainous regions, typically hibernating during the winter. Related: squirrel, chipmunk, groundhog, beaver.
PTARMIGAN/ˈtɑrmɪɡən/ · noun
A small to medium-sized grouse with a distinctive white winter plumage, found in the mountainous regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Related: grouse, pheasant, partridge, quail.
GENTIAN/dʒɛnˈtiən/ · noun
A plant of the genus Gentiana, having blue, purple, or white flowers. Any of various plants of the genus Gentiana, native to the Northern Hemisphere. Related: angelica, balm, celandine, digitalis.
EDELWEISS/ˈɛdəlvaɪs/ · noun
A small, white, star-shaped flower that grows in the mountains of Europe, especially the Alps. It is often used as a symbol of purity and innocence. Related: snow star, alpine star, rock jasmine, mountain flower.
RHODODENDRON/ˌroʊdoʊˈdɛndrən/ · noun
A flowering shrub or small tree with showy flowers, typically having five petals and growing in the mountains of Asia and North America. Related: azalea, rhodora, lilac, bush.
ARNICA/ˈɑrnɪkə/ · noun
A perennial plant of the sunflower family, native to the Americas, whose dried flowers are used in herbal medicine to treat bruises and sprains. Related: plant, herb, remedy, treatment.
SAXIFRAGE/sæksɪfreɪdʒ/ · noun
A plant of the genus Saxifraga, having five-petaled flowers and often growing in rocky places. The name is derived from the Latin words 'saxum' (rock) and 'frangere' (to break). Related: rockcress, rockfoil, saxifraga, creeping saxifrage.
PRIMULA/ˈprɪmjʊlə/ · noun
A primula is a type of flowering plant, often cultivated for its showy, fragrant flowers. There are many species and hybrids of primulas, which are commonly grown in gardens. Related: primrose, cowslip, buttercup, violet.